An Unexpected Affair
by jana95
Summary: "You'll kill me for HER? A Mudblood?" Goyle was in for a surprise. "Yes, I'd do it for her.." Draco said, determined.. Draco falls for a Muggle, this must be a twilight zone. (I suck at summaries)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first fanfic, so I'm totally at a loss here.. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters belong to the brilliant mind that is JK Rowling.

Prologue..  
Draco stood there, in front of the window of his room, for what seemed to feel like hours.. The weather showed no signs of life- fog covering the entire view- just like his future. And after what he had decided to do, the gloomy weather seemed to be a miniscule fact in the background, insignificant to the dark shadows hovering above him.  
He jumped a little as he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
"Draco, it's just me.." his mother assured him with a sad smile.  
"I didn't hear you coming.." was his mere statement, as he faced his mother.  
"That's coz you were so lost in your thoughts." she said,"What were you thinking about?"  
"Nothing.." Draco lied, his mother could tell.  
"You're having second thoughts.."  
"Mother.."  
"You don't have to do it, if you don't want to, son.." Narcissa placed her hand on his right cheek, "You're so young.. you're just a boy.."  
"I'll always have second thoughts, mother. I'll always question my decision of being a Death-eater. This isn't a job a person would gladly enroll in." He paused for a moment, slowly removing her hand from his face, "It's not about want.. I 'need' to do it."  
"You don't need to."  
"Of course I do.. After Father's failure.. HE expects me to make up for it.. " Draco sighed, "So does Father.. he wishes his heir to follow his footsteps.. Don't you?"  
"Of course not.." she denied, "Why would I want to give my son a death sentence.. Your father, he's not thinking straight at this moment. I will talk some sense to him, maybe he'll change his mind.. maybe you don't need to do it."  
"We'll have our heads cut off if we stand up against 'his' wishes, Mother.." he tried again to show his mother reason, "It is better if you accept it, sooner the better." "Draco.."  
"I have made up my mind. Besides, do you want Father to go to Azkaban? This is the only way we protect our family."  
"Are you even ready for it?"  
"As ready as I'll ever be.."

The Beginning..

The morning light-or rather the afternoon light- hit Draco's face, bringing along with it the harsh reality. How was it morning so fast? He'd just had his eyes closed for an hour or so.. Draco's head was slowing conscious about a splitting headache- all courtesy of last night's booze party. "Never again.." he mumbled as he placed his hands on his temple, but that was what he said everytime. He'd promise himself that he wouldn't drink so much again, but once the pain was gone.. so was his promise. It no longer mattered if he'd have severe consequences the next day..  
"Mipsy.." he called out, "Mipsy.."  
A house-elf appeared in his room, "Yes, Master Draco?"  
"Bring me the hangover potion now.."  
"Yes of course, Master Draco.. Mipsy will bring Sir the potion.." and she was gone the next moment.. only to reappear the next while.  
Draco drank the potion without any delay.. and it started working its way through his body in within two seconds.  
"Anything else for Master Draco? Should Mipsy prepare something to eat for Sir.."  
"Yes.. I'm hungry.." he slowly dragged himself out of bed.. "At what time did I return last night?"  
"Around 1:00 Sir.. Mipsy had to levitate Sir to the bedroom.."  
"You levitated me?" Draco glared at the elf..  
"Mipsy had no choice, Sir.. Mipsy could not leave Master Draco on the floor.. Mipsy is very sorry."  
"Just.. don't do it next time.." he said, "Just let me sleep it off on the floor. Do you understand me?"  
"Yes, Sir.."  
"Now go and make me something.."  
"Yes, Master Draco.." then the elf was gone again..  
Draco decided to take a shower, to help him freshen up when he got a knock on the front door. That was new.. he never got a visitor from the DOOR. Probably it was that old cow, always trying to set him up with his granddaughter, she was one step ahead of him.. She usually stalked him outside the building or the corridors or the stairs. Now 'this' was new low, even for her..  
He was about to give a sparring about how it was inappropriate to stalk people everywhere, when he stopped. In front of him, was a young girl.. brown curls, big doe eyes.. beautiful face, a pleasant smile gracing her full lips.  
"Hi.." her smile grew wider as she greeted.. "Mrs. Edenberg said I had a new neighbour.. well, welcome to the building. I'm Anna, I live next door.."  
So she was the one that old lady was talking about- the gorgeous Mudblood, and truth be told, she was.. gorgeous.  
Draco didn't say anything to that, so she felt the need to add some more..  
"I made muffins.." she held out the basket in her hand to him, "Although I must say they are kinda.. overbaked, but they taste good. And this is for you.." and now she was babbling.  
"Why the hell would you bring me 'that'?" were the words that finally came out of his mouth.  
"Because that's what good neighbours do.."  
"They bring each other burned muffins?" he asked, eyebrow raised.  
"They're not that burned.." she looked at her muffins, and then back at him, "You don't have to be rude about it.."  
"Yes, I do.. Merlin knows, how many more are going to be tortured by your ass-burned muffins. Someone has to put an end to that."  
"You're so mean.." it came out of her mouth before she could hold it.  
"Believe me, I've been called worse.."  
"I wonder why..."  
"What do I need to do to make you go away?" he asked, giving a yawn at her..  
"Well, first you could learn some manners. You don't know the first thing about being, polite, with people who are good to you..."  
"Who said I need you to be good to me?"  
"Nobody.. I guess I should have taken my hint in that.." "How about I give you a hint.." Draco said, suggestively, "You are showing yourself as pathetic and desperate.."  
"You're so annoying" Anna grumbled..  
"Better annoying than pathetic.."  
She let out a frustrating sigh, as she turned turned around to leave.. 'So much for being a good neighbour..' She was cursing herself for this foolish idea of hers. Stupid, stupid.. STUPID!  
"Wait.." Draco called out to her.  
Anna turned back to face him, what? He had more to add to the humiliation?  
He walked towards her, took the basket from her hands, and said.. "I believe this was for me." His smirk never faltered, "You can leave now.."  
"Ugghh!" She shot daggers at him, but to no avail could she erase that smug smile plastered to his face. Without standing anymore shit from him, she stormed off to her own flat, as Draco headed to his.  
He closed the door behind him, taking a bite of one of the burned muffins. It was pretty good actually but he would never admit that to his next door Mudblood neighbour. He took another bite, thinking about the hilarious irony of the situation. Few months from now, he wouldn't have even tolerated the presence of a Mudblood, let alone talk to them or accept something from them.. But that was few months ago, and now.. everything was different. Not that he had ceased to still believe that Purebloods were far superior to Mudbloods, but he no longer believed that they needed to die just coz of that. They deserved and held the right to live just as much as the next Pureblood. In other words, he had grown to tolerate their presence. That would explain a lot.. about him- Draco Malfoy, Pureblood, Slytherin- currently living in Muggle-fucking-London. Was there any satisfactory reason for that? Would there ever be?

Anna was pacing in her living room at the moment, anger fuming. How could a person be so rude to someone he just met, someone he knew nothing about? All she did was welcome him to the building like any good neighbour.. yes, part of her had been curious as to who had replaced that crazy old man who kept stalking her any chance he got. When Mrs. Edenberg had mentioned to her about her new tenant, and mind you- a young one, she had thought that it was a good improvement to the previous one. Atleast he wouldn't be so.. stalker-ish, hopefully. But, what an improvement was he! He was downright rude and obnoxious and.. basically an arse. Atleast Mr. Wilman greeted her warmly and was nice to her, if she could call 24x7 stalkery nice. Perhaps it would have been better if she didn't have a neighbour.  
Or.. if she didn't have such a good looking neighbour, a person had to be blind to not see that. Draco Malfoy was really good-looking, actually that would be an understatement- with his ruffled blonde hair, those grey eyes (she'd noticed they were grey), those lips minus that smirk.. he was delicious. OKAY, SHE DID NOT JUST SAY THAT.. coz he was still an obnoxious ass. Maybe he was an ass coz he was so good-looking, people usually were.  
And how dare he take those muffins after saying it was burned, the nerve he had! Annabeth Jones was slowly coming to loathe the guy she'd just met- Draco-effing-Malfoy.  
"Ass.." she muttered, angrily.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco had just received a letter from his "father", asking him to return home, if he could still call it one. It had stopped being a home since the day his father had brought that vicious creature into their home, and their lives. It had definitely stopped being home after the day he finally saw the harsh implications of choosing 'this' side. He still remembered that day so clearly.. just like yesterday.. when in reality it had happened a month ago. It had only been a few days since he'd taken the Mark, his fellow Death-eaters had gone to Muggle London to randomly select some toys for their entertainment. That had been his last straw that finally destroyed the deceptive lie that he'd been living. That Mad Man without a nose, who everybody else worshipped as their freaking Lord, had made an appearance and called for a celebration. The older ones had brought some Muggles with them. Draco knew what they did with them, but he wanted to believe otherwise so long as he didn't see it for himself. It had been a wishful thinking. Their 'Dark Lord' decided to add more joy to the celebration, he chose a muggle girl from among the group, and asked his senior followers to each take a turn to.. rape her. He couldn't even leave, he along with Blaise and Theo and some others, were asked to watch it as it happened.. weren't even allowed to look away. So, they had to watch as their fathers took turns to rape that muggle, everyone else cheered as it happened.. like it was a great thing that they were doing. And when it was finally his father's turn, Draco saw a different side to his father- one he had never seen before. His father had no trace of remorse or guilt as he was RAPING an innocent girl, it infact seemed like he was enjoying doing that. From that day, the respect he had for his father, had slowly started to fade away.. till there was nothing left. That day he realized, how wrong he'd been all his life.. there was nothing noble about this. There was only pure evil, and he, he was surrounded by it. That was when he realized that he needed to get out of there.. for as long as possible. And so he did..  
He opened the letter with a sour look on his face. It read:

Draco,  
I can't seem to understand why you felt the need to go away, when you could have been using the time to impress the Dark Lord, and making a more secure place in his circle (typical of Lucius to get on with business right away- no niceties allowed). In two month's time you will have to return to Hogwarts, where you will do the task that you have been given. I am certain, that you will not fail. You always have been a smart boy, and Malfoys do not fail (yeah, like the time you failed in the Ministry). I am so proud that you took the Mark, I've always wanted you to fulfil your legacy,  
and your legacy lies in the Dark Lord's service. Your mother worries about your well-being and has asked you to return to her as soon as possible. She wishes to spend some time with you before you leave for Hogwarts, because after that, things will never be the same (it already isn't). Maybe it is better if you return sooner, it will be beneficial for you (and by me you mean for yourself, Father).  
Lucius Malfoy.

It was as cold as his other letters had been, when Draco had been at Hogwarts. But he no longer cared about that.. Because he had a more severe situation at hand. In two months time, he had to return to Hogwarts to perform his task. And he was dreading for it, he knew he didn't have it in him to do it, no sane person would. Only a vicious mad man could find joy in such things. If only he could somehow stop time, or maybe fast forward it to a more peaceful future.. where his family was free from the shackles of a crazy person, if he could be called one. Draco burned the letter, like he did every letter that he received from Lucius. If only he could have had a life where he had choice better than "Die.. or be a Death-eater". But not everyone was born in the right side.  
-X-X-

"Bloody hell!" Anna tried her door one more time, it was locked. Of course, it was locked.. it only need a slight push or a pull to get locked, unbreakably. The solution to this travesty? Why yes, the key to the fucking door, which she had left inside the apartment when she left for work in a hurry this morning. Oh! the forgetful wonders of her mind. What could she possibly do about it? She couldn't go to her landlady again, coz it had already been twice that she had asked for the spare key, and she didn't want Mrs. Edenberg to think that she had an irresponsible and forgetful tenant. And she could not do "that", coz she was upset- it never worked when she was upset. "Open.. please, door.. you need to open up.." and now she had resorted to TALKING TO THE DOOR like a crazy person.. "Please open.. and I swear I won't ever forget the key. Infact I'll carry it around my neck from now on.. But please, open up.. just this once." But IT didn't work like that.. so, all the groveling was for nothing.  
"Please tell me there's someone behind you and you're not begging to a bloody door.." came a voice behind her. She turned around to look.. HIM of course, who else to make things worse than they already were. "This isn't 'your' business.. just go away." she hollered at him, taking out her frustration on him.  
"Thank Merlin, it's not my business. I don't associate with crazy people." 'Liar' said a voice inside him.  
"Great! That saves me from your unwanted company.." her words were venomous, "Now get the the hell out of here. You are of no use to me anyway.."  
"You! How dare you speak to me that way.." Draco roared at her, "You are beneath me, you filthy Mudblood.."  
"What did you just say to me?" she walked towards him with a death glare, "What does that even mean..?"  
"You won't understand.. It's beyond your understanding.."  
"The hell it is.."  
They glared at each other for a good five seconds, and Draco finally looked away.. He slightly pushed her aside and walked to her door.  
"How dare you push me!"  
Totally ignoring her statement, Draco asked her, "Did you actually try opening it like a normal person, instead of acting like a mad cow that you are.." he was standing in front of the said door.  
"Of course I did.. I'm not daft.."  
"I highly doubt that.." he did a non-verbal spell 'Alohomora' and yahtzee! the door clicked open, "Coz if you'd done that instead of resorting to your insane ideas.. you would have known the door was not locked." the door was now wide open. "I can understand how 'you' could have a problem with that.." he smirked.  
"But it was locked.. wasn't it?" Anna looked at her door with surprise.. how was it possible, it was locked. Did it work late? How did it work anyway..? Maybe it was open afterall.. maybe she was slowly turning into a crazy person.. "No it wasn't" Draco denied, "You're just useless.." "I swear it was locked when I tried it.." she was mumbling to herself, since it was barely a whisper..  
"You're welcome, Mudblood.." saying that he left her to wonder if the door was really locked or not. Of course, it was locked.. he'd opened it with magic, but she didn't need to know about it. Infact she'd never come to know about it.. That was the beauty of the situation. Things were starting to get interesting around here in just a week.. -X-X-

Draco had picked up a routine to his day-to-day life, he'd stay at his apartment all day long- reading books, sleeping or sometimes watching that box that the muggles called television. It was an interesting invention. More interesting was the invention of a car.. it was like the carriages they had back at Hogwarts, except for the fact that they didn't need thestrals to move forward, they worked with something called fuel. The Muggles had made some pretty great inventions, which he had failed to notice since he had been so busy, hating them all his life. Okay, back to his routine.. he spent all his days inside, and the nights were meant for outdoors. Draco went out almost every night to different bars, sometimes with Theo or Blaise- who came to visit him- but mostly alone and drink as much liquor as his stomach could hold. Sometimes, it made him numb.. made him forget about everything that was his life. Other times, when it failed to do so, he picked a girl at the bar he'd be drinking and use her as a distraction. They'd warm his bed alright.. girls just seemed to be throwing themselves at him, like they exactly knew their place - inferior Mudbloods. It wasn't exactly 'lively', but it was better.. very much so...  
-X-X-

Draco woke up one morning, to find the tramp he brought home the previous night, still in his bed. "What are you still doing here?" he asked, annoyed.. "Good morning to you too.." she gave him her brightest smile.. as she leaned in to him.  
"What the fuck are you doing?" he pushed her out of his face.  
"Kissing you.. You seemed to like it last night.." she stated, an innocent expression on her face.  
"That was yesterday, today's a different day." he said, "I want you gone before I come out of shower.." he got out of bed and walked to the bathroom.  
"But I thought you liked me.." the girl was slowly on the verge of tears..  
"Well, you thought wrong.." he smirked, "Now get the fuck out of here.."  
He walked back to bed, "Here, let me show you the way out.."  
Draco made the girl dress up quickly, and walked her towards the front door.. "It was great last night.. I hope we never meet again." he winked at her.  
"You're an ass.." she said, angrily..  
"I know.. "  
The girl, whose name he didn't care to remember, angrily walked down the stairs and soon was, out of sight.  
"How can a person be such a big arsehole.." Draco found his Mudblood neighbour standing beside her door, hands crossed, giving him a judgemental look. And the way she looked this morning- the shortest boxers that could have existed, baby pink camisole, her hair a low bun... downright delicious.  
"How about follow your own advice and, mind your own business, Mudblood?" "I would mind my own business very gladly.. I am not a masochist to make myself endure you for a second, but you are making it MY business." she closed the distance a little.  
"What?"  
"Do you have to be so freaking loud?" she said, "Every bloody night.."  
Draco understood what she was talking about. "Some people need sleep at night, you know.."  
"Some people need to get laid, maybe then they wouldn't be so uptight." he countered.  
"I am NOT uptight.." she grumbled..  
"So you agree that you need to get laid?" Draco said, with half a grin..  
"Do you have no other option than being either an ass or a pervert?" she was getting angrier by the minute, Draco-freaking-Malfoy.  
"You are the one with such obscenities and yet you call me a pervert. Very hypocritical of you." he shook his head, indisagreement, "Morever, it's not 'my' fault that I make girls scream my name with pleasure.."  
"That, my sweet, isn't a scream of pleasure.. that is a fucking wail of a dying chihuahua.."  
"How would you know.?.. you don't seem to have such opportunities.." "You're intolerable.." she snapped, "Next time it happens, I'm gonna get you thrown out of this building.."  
"Oh! I'm so scared of your threat.." Draco pretended to be scared.  
"Do not tempt me.." she walked inside her flat, slamming the door shut harder than usual. Draco couldn't help laughing at her, she was freaking ridiculous.. What does she think, that she has any power to throw HIM out of anywhere..? If only she'd noticed how foolish she'd sounded to him. What Draco himself had not realized was that this was the first time in a long time, that he had had a good laugh, a real one. She had made that happen..


	3. Chapter 3

And there it was- her payback- downright simple but pretty effective. Draco had been enjoying his early morning sleep, that he loved so much when suddenly a noise from his adjacent flat made him sit straight up in surprise, that was bound to give him a headrush.  
"Fucking hell!" he cursed, "What the fuck is this about?" There was this very loud noise, and a wailing of some woman, followed by a man's.. then again there was the sound of bagpipes, he couldn't exactly call it music, cause it wasn't. It was just loud. "Are you fucking kidding me!" his anger was slowly rising, as he got out of bed.. 'Silencio' he said in his mind, to block the unwanted sound from his room.. it didn't work for some fucking reason 'Silencio' he tried again.. Nada. Why wasn't it working?.. he had perfected in that particular non-verbal spell..  
He couldn't use wand magic, it would be traced back to the Ministry.. and he'd get in trouble and then back to hellhole, before his freedom time was over. What was he supposed to do now?  
(A/N: I have assumed that the Ministry traces back whatever wand magic is done outside Wizarding London, and penalizes the guilty and whatnot.)  
Draco walked in fury towards his neighbour's door.. he banged it hard, like he had an intention of breaking it down if it didn't open. After a few more bangs, Anna finally opened the door with fake surprise..  
"Draco! To what do I owe the pleasure?" "You know exactly why I'm here, Mudblood.." he gritted his teeth, as he saw red.  
"No, I don't.. As far as I can tell you're not a morning person.." she gave him a smug smile, "And YOU don't fraternize with anyone.. and, I believe we're not standing here to discuss the morning weather..."  
"What's the fucking noise?... Turn it off.."  
"What? You talking about my music?" she asked, innocently, "I don't think so.. I love it.."  
"Well then, love it within the four walls of your fucking flat.. Don't make someone else suffer coz of this atrocity you call Music."  
"I don't see anyone else complaining about it.." she pretended to look around..  
"And I don't see anyone else on this floor other than you and I.. Can't you put two and two together?.." Draco was coming close to losing his mind coz of this crazy girl. Only if looks could kill, she'd be dropped dead by now.  
"Can't YOU?" she retaliated, "You know how to make it stop, don't you?"  
"If I knew, would I even be wasting my precious time with the likes of you?.."  
"Its as simple as it can be- if one noise goes out the window, so does another.."  
"What?"  
"I won't be loud with my music, if you aren't loud about your 'late-night shenanigans'" Anna explained, "So.. no more of your slags.." she stated..  
"Aww! Don't want to share 'me' with anyone else?" he made a pouty face, "I can understand that..I'm totally a catch."  
"Have you freaking lost your marbles? Why the hell would I want you all to myself.. You need to get out of that big head of yours and try to see reason once in a while.." Anna said, hands on her hips. Did she really have to look this.. sexy? FUCKING HELL! What the fuck was he thinking? She was a Mudblood.  
"Draco!" she tried to bring his attention back to her.. "Are you even listening to me?"  
"Why would I waste my time listening to your baloney.." he finally said..  
"Even I don't want anything to have to do with YOU, but you make it so damn hard.." she said, "Just say you'll agree.. I can't have another sleepless night coz you are acting like a horn-dog."  
"What did you just call me?"  
"You heard me.."  
"I'm not gonna do anything for you, Mudblood.."  
"Then I can't help you here anymore.. You can fucking go to hell.." she slammed the door right at his face. The nerve she had!  
"I wasn't done with you.." he yelled, but she didn't answer, infact the noise got louder than it was..  
"Fucking bitch!" he banged the door once..  
-x-x-x-

#ONE WEEK LATER#  
"So how long do you plan to stay here, mate?" Blaise Zabini took a sip from his firewhisky as he regarded his friend.  
"As long as I can.. Merlin knows I'd be more than happy, away from the hellhole.."  
"So, until the school starts then..?"  
"Unfortunately.. That crazy man is in my house, Zabini.." Draco said, "If I had any say at all, I'd never return.."  
But both of them knew it was not possible, Draco had no escape.. atleast not since he took that Mark. He would never be able to hide from 'him'. Life as a Death-eater wasn't all rainbows and sunshines afterall.  
"And that bastard has no problem with your two-month getaway?"  
"Not as long as I do what I'm told, once I return to Hogwarts.."  
"You do understand that You- Draco Malfoy- are staying, AT HIS OWN WILL, in freakin' London of the Mudbloods?" Blaise said, grinning.. "Slytherin among Muggles, what would Salazar say to that?"  
"Beats the hell out of me everytime that I think about it.." the blonde said, "So I've stopped thinking.. And I haven't slept this well, since forever. The silence, its almost.. soothing.."  
"Wow, you break my heart. Whatever did you do to the real Draco Malfoy?" Zabini teased, "This place is fucking with your brain, mate. 'Soothing'? Are you for real?"  
"Just shut the fuck up.."  
"Now that's the Draco I know and enjoy.."  
As they were going on with their conversations, they heard a loud sharp voice of a girl.. she was probably trying to sing, but it sounded more of a wail.  
"Who's the banshee?" Blaise cringed his temples, as the sound got louder.  
"That would be my Mudblood neighbour.." who was apparently singing her lungs out, coz she had resorted to THAT.. when she realized her loud music didn't work (at all) on Draco, the invincible.. "You have neighbours here? How homey!"  
"What does it matter anyway.. She's a Mudblood.." Draco said, annoyed that he had to talk about her at all.  
"Apparently one with the voice of a hundred mandrakes." Blaise commented, "Can't you put a silencing charm or something?"  
"It doesn't fucking work.." "So what, you just listen to it?" his friend questioned. "The Draco Malfoy I knew wouldn't put up to that.."  
"Try having to listen to THAT every morning.." "How the mighty have fallen... Okay, lets sort out this problem once and for all.." the dark slytherin stood up from his seat.  
"And how do you suppose we do that?"  
"We're gonna confront your Mudblood neighbour.."  
"Yeah, coz 'that' never crossed MY mind. How fucking brilliant is your idea.." of course Draco had tried talking to her, but she just wouldn't listen.  
"Draco, mate, you haven't witnessed my charms.." he said, confidence gleaming in his stature, "And it just so happens that today is your lucky day.."  
"It doesn't matter, Zabini.. Just let it go okay." the blonde argued, "It's gonna stop any moment now.."  
"Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Blaise was irritated with his friend, "You never used to put up with things like this. And how fun is meddling with the Mudblood, eh? Good times, remember?"  
"You're just gonna make it worse than it already is..."  
"Just you wait.."  
Draco groaned inwardly, he had a hunch of how all of this was gonna end.. and it was NOT gonna be in his favour.  
Fucking Zabini.  
-x-x-x-

They had to knock thrice before finally having the door opened to them. The banshee probably didn't hear them coz of her own wail. Anna looked at them in surprise, probably coz of the new face that came with the old annoying one. "You" she greeted him coldly..  
Blaise was gaping at her, she wasn't how he had expected her to be. The Mudblood next door was supposed to be an old ugly woman.. not a freakin' siren. Damn! was she hot.  
"So in reality, you were trying to hide THAT from my sights.." Blaise whispered so only Draco could hear him.  
Draco gave a pointed look to his friend, was he fucking kidding! Why would he want to hide 'that' from anyone? She was a freaking Mudblood, no matter how delicious she looked at the moment (STOP).  
"Hello." Blaise was the one to break the silence, "I'm Blaise, your neighbour's friend.." he held out his hand to her.  
"Anna." she gave hers, "Nice meeting you.."  
"Likewise." then he was on with the Zabini charm, "Draco, here, never mentioned that he had such a pretty neighbour."  
"Now, didn't I?" the blonde in question, finally decided to jump in, "I clearly remember you complaining about the banshee next door, just a few minutes ago.."  
Anna looked at the two in disbelief, did they just call her a 'banshee'?  
"Excuse me.."  
"Draco, he's kidding, obviously." Zabini laughed nervously, "Why would we call you a banshee? I mean, look at you.. you're no banshee.."  
"That's coz we were talking about her voice.." Draco added, a smirk on his face.  
Blaise glared at his friend, was he trying to get them in trouble?  
"You have the perfect friends, Draco.. equally rude as you.." Anna said angrily.  
"And what would you call that loud noise that you call singing?" Draco retorted, "Isn't it rude to rip people off of their sanity? We were literally pulling off our hairs, coz of your.. wails. Do you always have to be so freakin' loud?"  
"I'm not.. loud."  
"Your voice puts a freakin' mandrake to shame.."  
"What's a mandrake? Another one of your weird inventions?" "You won't understand.. coz you're a Mudblood.."  
"And here we go with that again, what does that even mean?... if there is really such a word." she had her hand on her hips. Why did she have to look so sexy when she was angry... "You're a Mudblood. You're beneath me.. yada yada yada.. You know what, I'm not beneath you.. if anything, I'm above you.. (oh, he could make that happen, if she was into the whole dominant thing; and Draco needed to stop his train of thought)... I'm better than YOU."  
"It seems like we got off the wrong foot, Anna.." Blaise decided to interrupt this fued before it got out of hand, "What Draco means to say is that.. he would really appreciate it if you sing, you know, just a wee bit softly."  
"I never said that.. I don't grovel." Draco objected, "Infact I never wanted to come here. YOU (he pointed out to Zabini) were the one with this freakin' ass idea that wouldn't even work."  
"You are ALWAYS loud with your whores.. you never see me groaning about it.." Anna interjected.. "I already told you how to make it go away. YOU are the one who doesn't know how to... I dunno, compromise.."  
"You're just jealous that I'm getting some.. while you're all alone in your cold bed." Draco retaliated.  
"I'm NOT interested in turning myself into a man-whore like yourself, thank you very much.."  
"You!" he pointed his finger at her.. both throwing daggers at each other. If looks could kill, they'd be dead by now..  
"I kissed a guy.." Blaise butt in. "What?" finally the two of them were in sync for something.. as they stared at the third person in surprise.  
"Now 'that' gets your attention?" he asked, "You guys should just drop it off.. call a truce or whatever.."  
"Never.." Draco denied, "See, this is why I didn't want to come here.. she won't get it. She's a Mudblood afterall, nothing but filth in her brain.."  
"Okay, now that is my last straw.." saying that Anna charged at Draco and gave him a hard punch right on the nose, and boy! did it feel good. "Now that ought to keep your mouth shut for a while.." then she slammed her door shut with a loud bang, right on their faces.  
Draco and Blaise didn't say anything for a while. The former trying to get over the punch that he had received, the latter trying to control the laughter that was starting to bubble up in his throat.  
"She's pretty cool for a Mudblood." Blaise said after sometime..  
"Don't you dare say anything about her..." Draco roared at him, "THIS never happened, you understand me? Not a word of it to anyone.." He stormed off to his flat without looking back, Zabini did the same.. only laughing. Visiting Draco had never been so entertaining as today, maybe he should do it more often.


	4. Chapter 4

The night that followed was pure torture for Anna. Why? Well...  
"Oh... Oh Draco.. Please don't stop... Oh God.." that's why. And Anna could no longer see reason, Draco Malfoy needed to die.  
"OH GOD!" the moans got louder as the minutes ticked by.. "Oh Draco, I'm so close.." she knew that 'this' was him getting back at her, for the punch. Obviously, he was trying too hard. They were literally humping like rabbits, or freaking Hulk for that matter. It was a miracle that the bed hadn't broken down yet. Why hadn't it fucking broken down yet?  
Anna cursed the walls for being so thin, she cursed Draco for being such an ass-hat, and she cursed herself for ever thinking of being nice to him.. he didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve anything.  
The noise continued as she tried getting some sleep, counting backwards. Why was it so freakin' loud anway? It was as if she was in the same room as them.. all enhanced, like magic. Finally giving up, she picked up her pillow and headed to the living room to sleep off on the couch. She had a big day tomorrow, and she desperately needed a good night's sleep.  
"I hate you, Draco Malfoy.." Anna muttered as she laid on the couch. He was the effing reason, she had to sleep like 'this' when she had a perfectly comfortable bed at her disposal, "I hate you so much.."  
-x-x-x-

Anna woke up with a splitting headache the next morning, all courtesy of Draco-freaking-Malfoy. She didn't know how he was gonna give her presentation in front of her boss and her boss' boss. He had to get back at her yesterday.. it was like he knew that she had an important day, the next day. How could one person manage to be so annoying in one row.  
She locked her door in a hurry, already too late for work, since she woke up late. Thanks to her asshole neighbour. Anna didn't care for such obscenities in general, but Draco was just bringing out the worst in her. She grabbed her bag which was threatening to fall off her left shoulder.  
"Oh, if it isn't the uptight Mudblood.." speak of the devil, just what she needed whilst her day hadn't even started.  
"I'm in no mood to argue with you, Draco.. Just leave me the hell alone.." she tried to shrug him off.  
"Cranky, are we?" Draco said, his signature smirk gracing his lips, "Sleep much?.."  
And now he was taunting her, he perfectly knew that she hadn't gotten much sleep, he'd made sure of it.  
"Listen, Malfoy.." she poked him on his chest, this was the first time she had used his last name.. and what was even more surprising was that it was Draco who had realized it, not Anna. "I'm already having a bad day, as it is- I'm late for work, have an annoying headache that just won't go away, and can't eat even when I'm hungry coz I'm too late to make something... So, please.. don't make it worse or indulge me in your silly arguments, coz I really don't have time for that." she looked tired.  
Draco didn't know what to say to that, he should be happy seeing her in such misery; coz that was what he wanted, right? His payback? But he wasn't pleased about it, if anything.. he was feeling 'sorry' for the girl.  
"Now if you'll excuse me.." she started walking away from him, when he called out to her..  
"Annabeth." that was the first time he had used her name, he realized, again.  
Anna turned around, flabbergasted.. 'Did he just say my name?'  
He walked towards her and held out his coffee to her.. "you can have it. Seems like you need it more."  
The brunette gaped at him, mouth wide open. Did Draco just offer her, his coffee? It wasn't possible, maybe she was dreaming. Yes, it had to be a dream- a twisted dream where HE was being nice to her. Not once, in the two weeks that he'd been residing in the building, had Draco Malfoy shown any signs of civility towards her. And he'd called her Annabeth, no Mudblood..  
"Shut your mouth or you'll get a bug in there.." he spoke. It wasn't a dream.  
"Yeah.. I.. Uh.." she stuttered. Why was she stuttering?  
"Aren't you late for work?" he placed his coffee in her hand, "Just take it and leave before I change my mind.."  
"Thank you..?"  
"Was that a question? Some way to show your gratitude to others.." he teased, and not in a mocking way.  
Then she realized that she should be going.. "I'm late.."  
"Yes, we seemed to have established that by now.."  
"I should go.."  
"Sure."  
"Thanks.. for the coffee."  
"Don't mention it." Draco said, "Seriously, 'don't' mention it.. to anyone."  
"Sure." Anna smiled, "We wouldn't want anyone to know about.. the tolerable side to Draco Malfoy, now would we?" she gave him a wink and left Draco to think about what she had said.  
-x-x-x-

It was precisely three days after the coffee incident, that Anna found Draco in the hallway. Just like their previous encounters, the only difference was that... he had been sober before, he wasn't now. There he sat, leaning on the wall between their doors, eyes closed.  
"Draco.. Draco.." she tried to shake him, "wake up... Draco.."  
His words were barely understandable.. "Dun 'uckin touch m.."  
"What?"  
He rubbed his hands on his face, trying to wake up more, "I said don't touch me.."  
"I was just checking if you were alright."  
"I'm fine.. Just stay away from me. I don't want your filthy Mudblood germs."  
And they were back to square one, back with the name-calling.  
"What is a Mudblood anyway?" She asked, "It doesn't even make sense. How can blood be mud? It's red."  
"Why do you always have so many questions?.. just like her.. always with the questions." and now he was mumbling..  
"You're drunk."  
"Yeah? What was your first clue?" even drunk Draco was unbearable.  
"Let's get you inside, and we'll forget this ever happened."  
"We can forget it right now. You can mind your own fucking business, and just leave."  
"I can't.. YOU can't stay here." she marched towards his door and tried to open it, "It's locked."  
"You're a fucking genius."  
Ignoring his sardonic comment, she chose to be the better person that she already was, and asked, "Do you have the key in you?"  
"Why? You want a reason to feel my amazing body?.." he smirked, "Coz that seems to be the only action that you're gonna get."  
"You wish, asshole.. Just shut the fuck up, before I change my mind and decide that 'you' don't deserve my help." Anna spat, "Now, do you have the key in you?"  
"No.. I never carry it."  
"Then how do you open the door?"  
"Mipsy does it for me.." he replied.  
"Who's Mipsy? Don't you live alone?" "And now we know, who my stalker is.."  
"I live right next door.. I don't need to stalk you." Could this guy get anymore frustrating?  
"Yeah, right.. Easy access.." he stood up and tried to walk to her door (in which he terribly failed), she held him when he was about to fall on his ass. On second thoughts, she should have let him.  
"What the hell are you trying to do?"  
"Going inside. Since your door's open.."  
"It's not open.." she argued.  
"Do you have the key in you?"  
"Yes.."  
"Then it's open.."  
That night as Anna laid Draco on her couch, she got a look of his face up-close.. like she never had before. And he was.. impeccably beautiful, his face was just perfect. His eyes.. the most beautiful shade of grey that she had ever seen. "See something you like?" he interrupted her.  
"Shut up.."  
"Are you always this bossy?"  
"Occasionally.. to straighten up big-heads such as yourself.."  
"You don't know who you're talking to.. I'm Draco Malfoy.. the heir of Abraxas Malfoy who is considered one of the richest Purebloods in time.."  
"And I'm Annabeth Jones.. an aspiring Chartered Accountant who earns a living... all by 'myself'."  
"Hey, I don't have a job, coz I don't need one.."  
"Whatever helps you sleep at night.." she smiled at him, a genuine smile. To her, Draco seemed like a child.. who was showing off his new toy that his parents had bought for him. "Speaking of sleep.. you need some shut-eye, help you sober up."  
"Yeah.."  
And then, Draco looked her in the eye, with what seemed like fascination.? Admiration? No, it couldn't be.  
She was proven wrong by the next thing that Draco said, "You're beautiful.." Anna widened her eyes, not believing what she'd just heard. Draco slowly closed his eyes, and started snoring in no time.. such a fast sleeper. Ass.  
She reached out to feel his hair, to find out if it was just as silky as it seemed, and took back her hand the moment she realized what she was about to do.  
"Good night, Draco.."  
The next day, it was just like she had said. They pretended like it never happened, he was gone before she woke up.


End file.
